Of Birthdays and Memories
by SteppingintotheSunlight
Summary: A surprise party is thrown for England, but even with the festivities old memories can't help but be dragged up. Doctor Who makes a quick cameo. England-centric.


**Hey! Quick Author's note!**

**Just to warn you there USUK in here and also PrussiaxHungary if you look hard enough. Plus there is a cameo from The Doctor, so for those of you who don't know who he, is all you really need to know is that he is a time traveler that has a habit of causing problems in The United Kingdoms...**

**Hetalia is not mine!**

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><p>England exited the super market, his purchases clutched in one hand. He glanced up at the grey sky and sighed, hoping that the rain would clear up soon; tomorrow was his birthday after all. It wasn't that he didn't like the rain though, no, far from it...but a bit of sun was always welcome, even if this <em>was <em>London.

England traveled home by foot, trying to beat the drizzle. However, even as he walked around the corner to his house, the rain gotten heavier, and by the time he got through the door and into his mud room, he was soaking from head to toe. Hanging up his coat to dry and peering inside his bag to make sure the food he had bought wasn't spoiled, England gave a slight '_humph_'. It was _his_ birthday and everyone that was coming to dinner (that is, the five nations that could stand him) was going to enjoy his cooking damn it!

He then pulled off his boots and paused for a second…he smelled something odd in his otherwise dark house… it was… foie gras…wait...that meant—

"FRANCE, YOU IDIOT, GET OUT OF MY—"

"SURPRISE!"

England stopped dead in his tracks, eyes as wide as dinner plates. Because now, lo-and-behold, filling his normally somber living room was about 20 countries, all jumping out of hiding places around the room.

"Wha-?" England had to stop and blink a few times, not believing his eyes.

"Happy birthday!" Sealand burst forth from the sea of faces, a grin on his face instead of the usual frown and pout he wore in front of England, and hugged England's legs. "Do you like the party?"

"...party?" was the only thing England could say.

"Well, Sealand wanted to throw you a party, so he invited all of us…" Lichtenstein explained with a small, quiet smile, while Switzerland frowned suspiciously at England from beside her.

England slowly closed his mouth.

"I-I...oh my...t-t-thank you…" He couldn't even muster his usual grumpiness at uninvited guests- he was so astonished that people had RSVP-ed, much less had come.

"OKAY! What are we still standing around for? Let's get this party started!" Someone, most likely America, screamed and in the next second, music was suddenly playing, beating loud and obnoxious through the house.

Sealand lunged forward and grabbed England's hand to draw him through the crowd when the stunned Englishman still made no move to react. Dragging him over to a long table, he pointed, "Look we got you presents and a cake too!"

England gazed at the pile of presents next to a huge unnatural colored cake. Then of course, he couldn't ignore the colorful array of booze next to that (this was a nation party after all), but he chose to look away from that right now.

"...I assume America made the cake?" It was obvious who the baker was, but England felt the need to ask obvious questions at this time.

"Uh-huh, and I am making the rest of the meal!" France popped his head out from the doorway of the kitchen, wearing a 'kiss the cook' apron and brandishing a spatula. "You shall all taste the wonder that is _la cuisine de France_ soon!"

This served to snap England out of his stupor at least a bit "WHAT? NO, GET OUT OF MY KITCHEN YOU FROG—"

"Vee, no it's okay mister England! I'm helping big brother France so nothing goes wrong!" Italy came out of the kitchen too, waving a box of pasta at England. "So there is nothing to worry about, eh?"

"What—no, I'm not going to let you take over my kitchen!" England tried to protest but before he could say anything else, Italy pushed him back into the partying crowd of nations.

"No, no, go back and join the party! It's your birthday after all, relax! There is absolutely no need for you to cook, no need at all, heheheh...veeee~!"

And with that, still nervously laughing, Italy closed the kitchen door and left England staring.

"But..."

This time, it was China who pushed himself out of the crowd and addressed the still-shocked birthday nation. "Age and time do not wait for people aru." He said the proverb with a sage wink. Lifting his always-handy wok (where did he keep that anyway?) the elder nation gestured toward the kitchen. "I'll make sure they don't blow anything up, don't worry."

England opened his mouth again, but then Sealand dragged him back. "Eeeengllllannndd come on! Have some fun for a change!" The micro-nation pulled his arm and pushed him into the center of the room where nations were now milling around, talking and dancing to the music. England stood in the middle of the room, still not quite sure what to make of his surroundings.

"Enjoy yourself will you?" Hungary came up next to him. "Sealand, well, all of us actually, put a lot of work into this…so don't just stand around, have some fun!" At the last word, Prussia slipped next to her and twirled her away into the crowd, with no regard to the beat of the music. "Hey! Prussia, you idiot!" she protested, but she was laughing as she said it.

Just have some fun...

Well, why not, England thought to himself. Even he deserved to loosen up every now and then. So, with that thought in mind, he finally began to smile and dance to the music.

"Finally, you are showing some sort of emotion. For a second, we all thought you were catatonic..." Austria commented as he pushed his glasses up his nose, sliding into a seat next to England at the bar table some time later.

"Well, how would you react to see your house being invaded like that?" England wryly commented back, taking a sip of his rum spiked Coke. He was careful to drink only small amounts, lest he got drunk during the party (and wouldn't _that_ just be an adventure). "I thought I was being faced with some sort of new sick imperialistic invasion."

"All right, I see your point," Austria said with a grudging smile, then without another word raised his glass politely to England. "Happy birthday, alright?"

England replied with a smile and toasted to them both, gulping back the rest of his drink and throwing himself back into the party. He was still around after all these years after all, he really should celebrate…

After an hour and a half, England wandered over to a chair against a wall, a bit tired trying to catch his breath. He leaned his head against the wall and let his eyes close. He wanted to remember this moment and everything in it: the too-loud music (brashly American, he recognized with a smirk), the strange colored food, the laughter, and the fact that, for once, everyone was actually getting along…

When he finally opened his eyes again, he heard someone sit down next to him, the chair creaking against the ancient wood.

"Hello Germany," the Englishman glancing to the side to see Germany rubbing his forehead.

"A word for the wise: never get in a fight with Romano when there are tomatoes around…I never realized that they could hurt so bad…" the other nation said in reply, his gravelly voice also tired.

England quirked an eyebrow. "Why, what did you say to him?"

"I'm not even sure...he just grabbed one and chucked it at me…"

England smirked again. He knew it had been too good to be true. "And I thought everyone was actually getting along for once…well, it was nice while it lasted."

Germany shook his head. "_Nien, _everyone is still getting along… but if Romano does not curse someone out, we would actually start to worry." He grinned. "Romano was just making sure that everything stayed normal…"

England could hear the laugh in Germany's voice, and he was right: all the countries would have to be themselves...if they weren't, then the apocalypse might as well descend upon them.

Letting out a breath, the Englishman stared out at the party after a minute or two of silence, speaking his thoughts out loud. "Why are they all here? I mean half of these countries don't even like me…"

Germany shrugged and paused a moment before he answered. "Over the years, all of us have seen friends and enemies fall. Maybe everyone's here not because they're celebrating your birthday, but because they're celebrating the fact that another of their own hasn't fallen…"

England shifted his gaze to the country next to him – the German was staring out at the dancing nations, his face unreadable.

"Well, sounds like somebody's a philosopher all of a sudden…"

Germany laughed a bit ruefully, flattered. "Yeah you're right…I'm sounding like China or something. Maybe I got a concussion from that tomato after all..." He rose, rubbing his forehead. "I'm gonna go get some ice from the kitchen," he muttered, then filtered back into the crowd. "Have a nice birthday…"

England only smiled and the Germany turned away.

A clear night soon descended upon England's house, and the Englishmen found himself staring out of a window again, having escaped the hype of the party once more. His green eyes perused the night; it was his normal street, his normal yard...everything was going well, and he was happy everyone was here for his birthday…

Gazing out some more, England suddenly noticed something strange and out of place on the street corner. It was...a blue box...a blue police box...?

All the color drained from England's face as he suddenly realized what it was.

At the same second, his front door abruptly shut and England caught the glimpse of a figure in a long coat walking away from the outside of his house. England sprinted across the party but before he could get to the door, Sealand intercepted him.

"England! A guy just stopped by...he said to give you this...oh, and he said he was a doctor…" Sealand presented a small box wrapped in blue paper that matched the police box to England with a card on top. England gingerly took it with a scowl.

"He is _The_ Doctor, and he just shows up to create trouble…" England said off-handedly to Sealand as he read the note on top.

_Happy Birthday Arthur, hope you have many more, and hopefully this will begin to pay for all the trouble you seem to think I cause (I'm telling you, half of it was Daleks…)_

–_The Doctor_

England scowl deepened as he worked the bow off the box. He opened it and found another note nestled in tissue paper.

_This is for one trip in the TARDIS, wherever you want, whenever you want._

England's eyes widened. A trip in the police box? He had to admit, the idea was tempting...

"What did he give you?" Sealand looked at him with curiosity.

"Just a note," England smiled with only a bit of difficulty. "Don't worry about it, why don't we get back to the party."

"Alright!" Sealand happily let the moment go forgotten and ran off to enjoy himself. England sighed, his good mood was gone. How could he celebrate when he remembered that there was a mad man with a box running about destroying his country? Maybe that apocalypse wasn't as far off as he had originally thought...

Sighing, the Englishman wandered over to the bar. He was going to need a stronger drink.

"Hey England… how ya liking the party?"

Looking up from his scotch, England saw America smiling at him, leaning against the bar with a beer in hand.

England shrugged. "It's pretty good, though I'm surprised that so many people showed up…"

"You're better liked than you think, old man," America said with a trace of a laugh, his blue eyes smiling behind Texas.

England gave a half-hearted scoff. "What, are you going to say that I was good big brother next?" he asked, dismissing America's remark.

The other nation went a bit quiet, and when England looked up at the lack of an answer, he saw that America's smile had gone softer, more melancholy.

"Well, yeah, I guess you were…to a point anyway."

England stared at America for a second. "We pretty much tried to kill each other back then...you call that a fun childhood for you?"

America shrugged. "Before the Revolutionary War and the French and Indian War, you were a great big brother to me. I remember when you used to come into my room and read me a story before you tucked me in…" the younger nation smiled sadly. Both of them had winced at the mention of the Revolutionary war. Some wounds never healed, England supposed.

"You refused to go to sleep if I didn't…" the Englishman laughed softly.

"Yeah, I remember that." America's smile widened, happier now. "It was nice back then..."

"Hey America!"

The taller nation looked away from England at the sound of his name, and saw Poland and Lithuania waving him over.

"Be right back." America put his drink down and headed over to the two countries.

England stared after him, and with one hand toyed with the note he had placed in his pocket from the Doctor.

_Wherever you want…_

America laughed at something Poland said, and England listened to its echoes, his mind racing. It _hadn't_ been such a bad childhood… it had been rather nice, hadn't it?

Not even letting his thoughts finish, England stood up from his place at the bar, and, weaving past the partying nations, sneaked out the door. No one had seen him leave, he was sure of it. He hurried down the sidewalk and strode toward the police box on the corner, eyes fixed on the spot as if it were a beacon. If he stopped walking now or even slowed down, he knew he wouldn't ever go through with it…

Finally approaching the door, England steeled himself and knocked softly.

Without pause, the door swung open to a room that was much too big for the outside of the box. The Doctor, as expected, was at the controls of the TARDIS, glasses on, and hair spiky. He looked up when the door opened.

"Ah hello! I wasn't expecting you so soon! I though you would mull over where you wanted to go for a few years…"

England let out a shaky breath, setting his lips in a scowl. "Enough of that, I know where I want to go."

"alright! Where to?" The doctor looked down at a screen in the center console, already pressing buttons.

"1720's, my house in the Americas, and on some day when I wasn't there."

The Doctor paused in the middle of entering something and looked up at the nation. "Wait, are you going to do anything to alter the timeline?"

England shook his head, keeping his voice nonchalant. "No, I just want to see my house in the 1720's, around 9 o'clock."

"Oh okay…" The Doctor looked a little disbelieving but didn't complain. "Allons-y!"

"Huh? Since when did you speak that frog's langua—"

But before he could say anything else, the TARDIS jerked and started to make the '_vroom vroom'_ noise that England had learned to hate, but after a matter of minutes, the TARDIS calmed and settled into place.

1720. They were here.

Shaking his head to clear it, England walked unsteadily out of the police box and into the lawn beyond the doors.

The house was right in front of him, exactly the way he remembered it: with the large oak tree in the front, and the old wooden door. England reached toward the handle and jimmied the lock, the door opening easily. He really should have gotten better security in those days, he thought in retrospect. Nevertheless, England then entered his old home; it was much like the one he had just left in the present, but the decor was different.

England slipped up stairs, listening for anything, and, on the last step before the hallway, he heard America.

"But I need to stay away for when England gets home! He has to tuck me in, like he always does!" a small America cried from his room.

"Not tonight… he's out of town doing business - he'll be back tomorrow," his maid said quietly to him, calming him.

England ducked into a spare room, knowing it would be a bother to have to explain himself and why he looked so different to his 18th century help. After a few more minutes, the maid softly left America's room and called to the cook in a stage whisper.

"Okay, he's gone to sleep now… so just stay quiet alright?"

England heard the cook grunt in agreement as the maid walked down the stairs.

Breathing a sigh of relief, England then slipped across the hallway and into America's room, taking a moment just to stare at the memories of the place. His eyes then drew toward the little nation curled under the covers. _He was so tiny,_ England though to himself.

The floorboards had creaked under England's feet. America's head popped out from under the quilts, a baby Nantucket defying gravity from his blonde hair.

"E-England?" a sleepy America opened his eyes, child-like disbelief framing his face.

"Shhh go back to bed lad, I came to tuck you in…" England said after swallowing a lump in his throat.

America's eyes were wide open now, the disbelief replaced with unadulterated joy.

"B-but the maid said you were gone…"

"I came back to read you a story America, just like a promised. Did you forget?" England teased, taking a seat on the edge of the bed and ruffling the young nation's soft hair.

"Really?" America asked brightly, and England nodded. The younger nation quickly scrambled into a comfortable position, which apparently was curling against England's side.

"All right lad, what story do you want to hear?"

A small America looked at him with big eyes, "I wanna hear a new story! One with a brave hero!" he said without needing to think it through very much.

England chuckled. America hadn't changed very much after all.

"All right. Once upon a time there was a brave hero….."

And with that, England began to tell a whole new story with a brave hero, one who had bright blue eyes behind wire rimmed glasses, and always knew that he could save everyone no matter what. He gave the hero a brown bomber jacket, and a hero's voice and began to tell of his adventures, nothing at all that specific, but he saved damsels in distress and defeated villains, overcame challenges and made sacrifices, but most of all he protected the ones he loved, as all heroes should.

Young America never heard the end of the story: he fell asleep part way through an exciting fight scene. England only gave a sad smile and he got up slowly, trying not to disturb the sleeping nation.

When he was almost halfway to the door, the covers on the bed rustled a bit behind him.

"Mm...'ngland?" America opened his eyes a bit, barely awake and voice thick with sleep.

England turned, "Yes?"

"You're the best big brother ever, you know that, right?"

The sentence trailed off into silence as America fell asleep at last. England felt his throat close up again. Why couldn't things just stay like this, it was so much simpler…

A little smile picking at his lips, England made his way back to the bed and reached out, smoothing America's hair and trying not to think about how, in merely fifty years later, he would be pointing a rifle at him.

"The Hero will always save the day, never forget that America…"

He stood up and slipped out of the house without another word. Staring up at the old Victorian house one last time, the older nation whispered softly.

"But I'm not that hero."

England managed to sneak out of the lawn with little difficulty, swiftly making his way back to the TARDIS.

"Wow that was quick…" the Doctor greeted him, hauling himself out from under the center console as a burst of sparks erupted from above his head "I was working on some repairs…"

"Yeah just had to do something…" England said, wincing away from the sparks. "You sure this thing will still fly?"

"What? The TARDIS?" the doctor said while nonchalantly motioning to the console with a chunk of machinery that England supposed came from the inside of the spaceship. "She'll always fly!"

England nodded quietly. The doctor stopped for a second, as if finally noticing that his guest was unusually quiet. "Hey, you okay?"

England shook his head and gave a curt nod, clearing his throat.

"Yes, yes I am. Let's just get back to my party…"

The doctor shrugged and busied himself with the knobs and dials and as the TARDIS began to move once more. With the doctor occupied, England wiped his eyes with his shirt and attempted to dry off his now damp sleeve. Glancing over at the Doctor as he tried to hold back any further tears.

"Is that really all you wanted to do?" the doctor asked as they landed, looking over at the blonde Englishman.

England nodded and was able to muster a smile. "Yeah… yeah I'm good now…"

Brushing himself off, he then headed toward the exit. Before completely exiting the doors though, the Englishman looked back once toward the Doctor.

"Thank you, by the way."

The Doctor nodded vaguely , still worried about England if his expression was anything to go by.

England smiled and closed the door. As he walked back down the familiar sidewalk, he heard the TARDIS's engine begin, and by the time he walked back to his house, it was gone.

The party was still going on inside. Quietly letting himself him, England slipped back into his house, trying to act as if nothing had happened. He stopped in his mudroom and took a breath, finally expelling everything that he had held back, as if purging himself. Everything was fine now, everything was just the same as it always was...it was just the—

His inner musing were cut short as someone opened the mudroom door and peeked in.

"England? Hey, what are you doing in here all alone?" a nation asked opening the door to the mudroom, Nantucket springing above his blonde hair and sky blue eyes looking worriedly at his former brother.

England's panicked, it wouldn't be all that easy to explain why he was sitting in a mudroom while people were celebrating his birthday in the other room. Quickly grabbing for words, he stammered, "Uh…I… forgot the butter!"

As luck would have it, England was able to reach for the stick of butter from the grocery bag he had left on the floor earlier.

America only looked at him strangely.

"Yeah…sure okay…I think France brought enough butter though." America paused, appraising England's expression. "Ahhhh...well, anyway, do you wanna get back to the party?" he asked, pointing to the room where the other countries were still laughing and dancing and drinking.

"Sure!" England agreed, perhaps too quickly and with a bit too much enthusiasm. America gave him a wary smile and turned to walk away.

England's didn't really want to party…. He did want the answer to something though. "Wait! America, can I ask you something?"

America twisted his head back, smile a bit more confused. "…Yeah…sure..." The American was obviously a bit freaked out by the way England was acting, and was now looking at him like had grown a second head.

The Englishmen spluttered a bit then blurted out. "Why did you come, really?"

America looked puzzled.

"To the party?"

"Yes."

America looked at him like he had grown a third head now.

"Why wouldn't I? It's for you, isn't it?"

England seemed stunned.

"wha…"

America nodded, as though the answer were obvious and he was explaining it to a preschooler who didn't understand

"Look, I know we've had tons of problems in the past, we might be messed up, but I'm still happy you're here…"

"R-really...?" was the lame response from Britain.

America smiled, brash and dense again. "Yeah, definitely! Hero's promise!"

And with those words, England nodded, a true smile spreading across his face as he dropped the butter he had been holding back into the bag and finally moved to follow America through the door.

"Hey there you are!" Finland cried as he spotted America and England coming out of the mudroom. The rest of nations made a unanimous sound of cheering, half drunken and half not. "We were just about to cut the cake, but we need our guest of honor to do it!"

In a matter of seconds, England found himself pushed by many hands over to the unnatural-looking cake. Japan and Hungary had cameras ready, and France soon handed a knife to England to cut the cake.

"Wait, wait!" I have to put the candles on!"

Sealand came barreling through the crowd of nations, waving his fists, full of candles.

"I couldn't get enough for the number to be right so I just grabbed all the candles you've got!" Sealand exclaimed, and with the help of the other nations around him, all the candles were soon poked into the cake, making it look more like a multi-colored sponge than a dessert. Sweden then lit them with a match, and America flicked off the lights, sending England a smile.

The Englishman smiled back at his former colony before focusing on the cake, the candles lighting the dark room and setting a warm glow to all the nations huddled close.

"Well, what are you waiting for?" China said calmly into the silence as England hesitated. The blonde nation looked up at the older nation. "Close your eyes and give your heart words aru."

England nodded and swept his eyes over the crowd once more- friends, enemies, or just other nations, looking out at everyone and pausing for a moment to take it in.

Then, he leaned forward and blew out his candles not needing to make a wish.

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><p><strong>Gasp! My first fanfiction is finally finished!<strong>

**Anyway thank you so much for reading and may I thank WingsofRain over and over for being my beta... she really helped me so much to finish this story.**

**Please Review!**


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